Tampons



1967 l. 5. DE WOSKIN 3,351,060

'I'AMPONS Filed May 17, 1965 United States Patent i 3,351,060 TAMPONS Irvin S. De Woskin, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Beltx Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No. 456,095 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-263) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tampon and inserter assembly having a rod slidably and removably inserted in a hole in the tampon, and a sleeve slidably telescoped on the rod.

This invention relates to tampons, and more particularly to a tampon and inserter assembly.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a tampon with an improved inserter or applicator which enables proper insertion of the tampon in the uterus and quick and efiicient removal of the inserter with assurance that the tampon will remain in the proper position in the uterus; and the provision of such an inserter which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble with the tampon. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view showing an inserter of this invention assembled with a tampon;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIG. 2 but showing the parts in a moved position;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawlugs.

Referring to the drawings, there is indicated at 1 a tampon which is shaped like a plug, having a rounded nose 3 at one end, which may be regarded as its forward end, and being generally flat at its other end 5, which may be regarded as its rearward end. Assembled with the tampon is an inserter of this invention generally designated The inserter comprises a rod 9 having one end 11 (its forward end) slidably and removably inserted in a hole 13 in the rearward end of the tampon, and a sleeve 15 slidably telescoped on the rod. The rod is substantially longer than the sleeve and its rearward end 17 projects from the rearward end of the sleeve to form a handle grip.

The rod 9, as shown, is constituted by a tube of circular cross section, which may be a relatively stiff paper tube (a helically wound paper tube, for example). The sleeve 15 is constituted by a tube which may be made of the same material as the tubular rod 9, having an inside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of the rod '9 for a telescopic sliding fit of the rod in the sleeve. The sleeve may be about three inches long, with an inside diameter of about one-eighth inch, for example. The tubular rod may be about five inches long, with an outside 3,351,050 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 diameter of about one-eighth inch, for example, so that the rod may project about one inch from each end of the sleeve. The handle grip 17 at the rearward end of the rod may be formed by flattening the end of the rod, and this flattened end may be knurled, if desired, as shown in FIG. 1. The hole 13 in the tampon may be a flat hole, and in such case the forward end 11 of the tubular rod 9 is flattened to fit closely in the hole (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembly is such that the rearward end 5 of the tampon engages the forward end 19 of the sleeve 15. The tampon conventionally has a removal string 21 for pulling it out. Handle 17 is gripped between the thumb and forefinger for inserting the tampon, the string being gripped against the handle 17 by the thumb. After insertion, the outer end of the sleeve is gripped by the thumb and forefinger of one hand to steady the sleeve, and the rod 9 is withdrawn by gripping the handle 17 with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand and pulling the rod out, the string 21 being released at this time (see FIG. 3). If the end 11 of the tubular rod has been initially flattened, it readily squeezes back to circular cross section as it is pulled into the sleeve. As the rod 9 is pulled out, the rearward end 5 of the tampon engages the forward end 19 of the sleeve 15 to restrain the tampon from movement, thus insuring that the tampon remains in proper position as inserted in the uterus. After the forward end 11 of the rod has been completely withdrawn from within the hole 13 in the tampon, leaving the latter free, the sleeve is withdrawn, carrying the rod 9 along with it if the rod has not been completely withdrawn from the sleeve. There is suflicient friction in the fit between the rod and the sleeve that the rod comes out along with the sleeve if the rod should not be fully withdrawn from the sleeve on the initial withdrawal of the rod. This friction fit is enhanced when the forward end of the tubular rod is initially flattened.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A tampon and inserter assembly comprising a tampon formed with a hole at one end,

a rod having one end slidably and removably inserted in said hole,

a sleeve slidably telescoped on the rod,

the end of said sleeve toward the tampon being engageable by said one end of the tampon,

the other end of the rod projecting from the other end of the sleeve and constituting a handle for withdrawal of the rod from the tampon by pulling the rod out of the sleeve.

2. A tampon and inserter assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the said other end of the rod is flattened to form the handle.

3. A tampon and inserter assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rod consists of a tube formed of paper and the sleeve is formed of paper.

4. A tampon and inserter assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the said other end of the tubular rod is flattened to form the handle.

3 4 5. A tampon and inserter assembly as set forth in claim References Cited 3 wherein the hole in thfi tampon iS a fiat 11016 and the 1slaild one end of the tubular rod is flattened to fit in said 2,129,627 9/1938 Sands et a1 128271 A t M t f 1 2,516,846 8/1950 Betz 128-264 tampon an lnser er assem y as se or in 0 mm 5 2,607,346 8/1952 Mflcent 5 wherein the said other end of the tubular rod is flattened to form the handle. ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner; 

1. A TAMPON AND INSERTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A TAMPON FORMED WITH A HOLE AT ONE END, A ROD HAVING ONE END SLIDABLY AND REMOVABLY INSERTED IN SAID HOLE, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY TELESCOPED ON THE ROD, THE END OF SAID SLEEVE TOWAWRD THE TAMPON BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID SLEEVE ONE END OF THE TAMPON, THE OUTER END OF THE ROD PROJECTING FROM THE OTHER END OF THE SLEEVE AND CONSTITUTING A HANDLE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE ROD FROM THE TAMPON BY PULLING THE ROD OUT OF THE SLEEVE. 